Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-08-05
How Will You yote2

clear cut issue before them now.
AS it now stands it is Saloon or
no saloon" 1t is a question in
which temperance is arrayed
against intemperance, honor
against dishonor, and virtue
against vice. 1t is the home
against the saloon.
In the near future the voters of
Kirksville will be called upon to
decide whether the saloon, with
all its blighting influence, shall
rule this city for the four years to
come. 1t is a vital question. Nor
can any man be neutral when such
interests are at stake.
Politics, partisan politics, can
not figure in this campaign. The
question is wholly divorced from
party and stands upon its own
merits. Whisky or no whisky
that is the question.
How shall it be decided? 1t is
a sad commentary upon the de-
pravity of human nature that it is
necessary to raise such question
at all. And yet there are fathers
who, at the coming election, will
vote for the debauching of their
sons and the desolation of their
own homes. There are parents
who will vote that, in the years to
come, they may weep over the dis
honored graves of drunken chill
dren. There are church members
who will dishonor themselves and
disgrace the church bycasting their
votes for that worst of all enemies
of the church-the open saloon.
There are citizens, who look upon
themselves as good citizens,
who will march up to the
polls and decide in favor of the
fruitful cause of crime and pau
perism.
And all for what? That we
may improve our sidewalks and
the better grade our streets! What!
i'm prove our streets at the cost of
heartaches, ruined fortunes, de-
throned manhood, unhappy
homes, crime and pauperism? An
old, but much abused book, called
the Bible, ages ago thundered its
auathemas against such proceed
ure: "Woe to him that buildeth
a town with blood, and establish
eth a city by iniquity!" They
who vote for license do that very
thing.
Should licensed saloons become
established in our fair city then
every man who voted for them
places himself on an equality with
the saloon keeper. Why abuse
the saloon keeper when he was
made by your votes? I have as
much respect for the man who
stands behind the bar as for those
who by their votes authorized him
to stand there. Where Is the diff
ference? None but a hair split
ting theologian could make any
difference appear.
Should the saloon be voted in,
then every man who helped to Gre
ate them will become responsible
for its crimes. Is there drunk
en- brawl on the streets? You au-
thorized ii. Does some drunken
wretch go home and beat his wife +?
By your votes it is done. Does
ruin spread its black wings over a
home where peace and happiness
once reigned supreme? It is by
your leave. Are the fond hopes
and earnest longings of the moth
er for the welfare of her son to be
blighted forever? The man who
voted for licensed saloons is re-
sponsible. Is our town filled with
criminals and paupers? Again
the voter is guilty.
| The old Book, before mentioned
Isays, "Woe unto him that giveth
his neighbor drink, that puttest
the bottle to him, and makest
him drunken also!' But this very
thing you do when you authoriz
another man to sell liquor.
For the sake of our common So
ciety let US vote against the sa-
loon.
For the safety of our homes let
us keep the saloons out Of Kinks
Vile.
For the honor of the churches
let us cast the white ballot of tenn
perance and sobriety. If the
churches of this city have not in
fiuences sufficient to defeat the
saloons they should "take in their
signs" 1 am in favor of with
drawing fellowship from every
member who votes for license.
For the honor of the city every
citizen should oppose the saloon
system.
Last of all: for the welfare of
our educational interests we
should keep the saloons out of
Kirksville. Shall we open up
these dens of iniquity to menace
and tempt the professors and stu
dents of our public schools and
Normal? Who that knows the
power of annette. may NOT well